Cache Creek Council decided to spend nearly $50,000 on three new boilers for its swimming pool to solve an ongoing boiler-maintenance problem.
“This is probably the way to go but certainly isn’t cheap,” said Mayor John Ranta, reviewing the information from Village staff at the Oct. 22 Council meeting.
The Village paid $7,600 for the current boiler, which was installed in 2007. It has needed repairs almost every year since then, costing the Village an additional $11,000.
Administrator Leslie Lloyd says the water table in the park, which borders the Bonaparte River, is so high that the Village can’t drain the pool in the winter; it has to keep the water warm enough to prevent it from freezing and causing damage to the pool liner and in-ground utilities.
Lloyd says the current boiler is not adequate for the type of use it is being put to. The main pool pump is left running throughout the winter to keep the water circulating through the boiler, which is set at a very low temperature. The new boilers are expected to be in place before this winter.
Although Council didn’t plan for the expense of the new boilers, councillors determined that there was enough money in the current budget to cover just over half the cost; the other half will be included in, and paid out of, next year’s budget.
Council is hoping that the new boilers will be eligible for Fortis BC’s rebate program. The new ultra high efficiency boilers are expected to save the Village $4,000-$4,500 per year in heating costs.